Prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women with schizophrenia: A prospective study

• Published in: Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Vol. 16; no. 5; pp. 767 - 776
• Main Authors: Dhamija, Sana, Davis, Supriya, Gupta, Nishtha, Mujawar, Swaleha, Chaudhury, Suprakash, Saldanha, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.09.2023; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: arizona sexual experience scale; brief psychiatric rating scale; female sexual functioning index; Health aspects; Schizophrenia; Sexual disorders; sexual dysfunction; Women; India; Arizona Sexual Experience Scale; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; Female Sexual Functioning Index; sexual dysfunction; schizophrenia
• ISSN: 2589-8302; 2278-7119
• DOI: 10.4103/mjdrdypu.mjdrdypu_917_21

Background: Schizophrenia leads to impaired functioning in several domains of life: socioeconomic, personal, and professional. The disorder is complex that impacts thought process, loss of touch with reality, cognitive as well as sexual dysfunction. The taboos around sexual functioning in India are immense and the data pertaining to sexual dysfunction in women in particular are scarce and even lesser for women with schizophrenia. Aim: This study aimed to study the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women with schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: Seventy women diagnosed with schizophrenia along with age- and sex-matched disorder-free control group were taken as the participants of this study. The participants were assessed with Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), and Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) for both the groups and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) in the index group. Results: A significant difference was found between the ASEX and FSFI scores between the index and control groups, and a significant correlation was found between ASEX and FSFI scores with BPRS scores. Conclusion: Women with schizophrenia have a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction. There was a high association seen between schizophrenia and sexual dysfunction in females with a strong relationship in almost all the areas of sexual functioning (that is desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain). More sexual dysfunction was observed in higher severity of schizophrenia, less education, and lower socioeconomic status.